The Victim
by Brunettezki
Summary: Bella wasn't supposed to live. But, now that someone is on the hunt for her, she's forced to move. Will she be able to keep her secret, and trust the new people in her life? Or will it all catch up to her? AH B/E ***on haitus***
1. Prologue

Thanks to my beta Annilaia! (Go read her stories, they are awesome!) This is my first attempt. All reviews welcome. I want honest opinions! Hope you enjoy...

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PROLOGUE

"I woke up when I heard glass break downstairs. I thought nothing of it at first, I just thought it was one of my parents getting a drink and dropped their glass. The next thing I remember is a loud bang and my mother screaming and then she was quiet. I wasn't sure what had happened, I waited a few minutes and then I heard a voice that I didn't know. They were laughing, I knew it couldn't have been good. I knew something terrible had happened. I grabbed my cellphone and called 911 and then I heard someone outside my door. I spoke as quietly to the operater as I could to tell her the information she needed and I tried opening my window, I think that's when he must have heard me. Then next thing I knew was my door busting open and a man standing there staring at me, he had blood everywhere and I was going to try and make a jump for the tree outside when he grabbed me. He threw me on the bed and..." I kept wringing my hands and took a deep breath trying not to cry, trying to blink back the tears, but they already had spilled over. I took one of the tissues from the box the attorney had presented me with, taking a few more deep breaths.

I couldn't believe all that had happened in the past year. I knew he was watching me, I couldn't even look at him. I knew he would have this smirk--the evil smirk he always wore. I cleared my throut and tried to continue, my voice breaking on the next few words. I heard him snicker and I cringed. "...and he started to rip at my clothes, I bit his hand and tried kicking him as hard as I could and scrambled to make it down the stairs, I knew that the police would be here any second and I knew if I could just make it a little longer I'd be safe. I ran for the stairs and I tripped over my father's--I-I-I think it was my father's body and fell down the stairs..." I was shaking now, openly sobbing. I heard him snicker again, but I pushed my fear aside knowing that my testimony would get him put away for life because of this.

"I just remember running out the door with him on my heels and I ran and ran till I heard the police and went for the sound. He was still behind me, but then he was gone and someone was holding me and I just kept fighting and fighting, I didn't realize it was the police until they turned me around. I saw him laughing as he was being put into the cop car and I'll never forget his face or what he said, he said 'I'll get you, I'll always be waiting and watching, you're mine.' He just lept laughing as they drove him away" I grabbed another tissue I never thought that I would be here right now, on trial as a witness for some man I barely knew, but he had taken my family from me. I knew there was no way that he wouldn't be put away, I wiped my face again trying to calm down. I finally got the courage to look up at him, he just smiled and waved at me.


	2. Chapter 1

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter, it's been forever since I posted, I'm sorry. I got stuck with how I wanted to continue with the story and with help from another writer and my beta I think i got it. I hope you enjoy this chapter it's kind short i'm sorry, but I'm still hoping it's post worthy! **

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CHAPTER 1

I woke up in a cold sweat, shaking, gasping for breath. I ran my hands over my face feeling the wetness on my cheeks and realized that I was crying. I ran my hands through my hair trying to calm down. I haven't had a dream about the murder in a long time. I knew the anniversary of their death was coming up soon. I wanted to visit them terribly, but I wasn't allowed to yet. I tried to think about other things, what I had to do today and about work and school, I looked at the clock and realized it was almost time for me to get up anyway. I heard clinking in the kitchen and realized my roommate must be up now, too. Before I went out to the kitchen I crept to the bathroom to wash my face of the tears and hopefully get rid of the red blotchiness that comes with crying. When I figured I looked some what decent I headed out to the kitchen.

Emma was a great roommate, clean, considerate and we just clicked as friends as soon as we met. She was nice and smart, we were alike in most aspects. She was also, incredibly beautiful, just like her siblings. With long brown hair, and forest green eyes, and beautiful pale skin, she was the perfect mix between her older sister, Alice Whitlock and her elusive brother, Edward Masen.

She was making coffee as I walked into the kitchen. "Morning." She said through a yawn. I nodded rubbing my eyes as she poured me a cup of coffee and put it on the counter near me.

"Mmm, thank you." I sighed in appreciation after I took a sip. "I love coffee."

She raised her mug in agreement and we laughed.

"Bella do you think you could help me with my English project? I know you major in English and it would help me so very very much" She batted her eyelashes at me and gave my the same puppy dog face her sister had perfected, and frequently used against me to take me shopping. Insert shudder here.

"Sure, just let me know what I need to do, but I won't be home until late. Mike asked me to take over his shift again at the library tonight."

Emma rolled her eyes at me and smiled, "You, my dear, are too damn nice. You _always_ take his shifts. Learn to say _no_, woman."

I smiled and laughed, "What was that about me helping you with your project?"

She smiled sheepishly, "Point taken and noted, I need to get ready for class. See you later gator."

I smiled and shook my head in amusment. I rinsed out my mug after I finshed my coffee and headed to my room to get ready for class as well.

Emma was the only one who knew my secret. She's the only one who could keep a secret this big. I had tried to keep it to myself, but Emma heard me shouting in my sleep for people who I've never spoken about. At the time we had been living together for about 8 months, and when she asked me about it I felt horrible lying to her. So I told her everything starting from the beginning. Even against my better judgement and after I was specifically told not to tell anyone my real identity.

I was a just beginning my senior year in high school, my father was the chief of police in a small town called Forks, he was usually working. There was a man who came to the door late one night looking to use the phone. I was home alone and I didn't feel comfortable answering the door. So I ignored him and kept the house quiet so he would think that no one was home. He kept pounding on the doors calling me names and yelling, I couldn't hear what he was shouting, it was pretty muffled by the door. I tried to stay calm because I knew my dad would be home any minute. After about 10 minutes of him banging on the door, it was quiet. I strained my ears to see if he had actually left and I then heard a car pull in the driveway. I knew it had to be my dad, but just in case I waited for him to yell out to me like he always does.

I told him what had happened , he didn't take it very well. He was overly protective for a few months, making my boyfriend Jake visit over my house instead of going out to the movies and to dinners. After a few months he relaxed and we decided that maybe it was just a prank from some kid at my school.

About half way through the school year I started getting these random letters addressed to me. At first it was innocent, but then they started getting really perverted. I couldn't figure out, who would send these to me. My dad started getting nervous, I was so used to him being calm and collected that I started getting scared. He had spent many hours with the help of other detectives from surounding towns to figure out who was doing this. Not that it did any good.

It stopped for about a month, and then the night of graduation party, is when _it_ happened.

My dad had invited my mom, her new husband Phil, and Jacob too stay the night. Jake spent the majority of the night cuddling with me, and then he kissed my told me how proud of me he was and went to crash on the couch. I remember exactly what he looked like when he told me he loved me. He was smiling so big I thought his cheeks must being hurting him and his dark eyes were sparkling. That will always be my favorite memory of him. My mom and step dad had been pretty tipsy, so my dad, being the police chief that he is, told them to spend the night in the guest room.

I woke up in the middle of the night to hearing a smashing of glass, I thought that maybe someone had gotten up to get a drink and just dropped the glass. I'm clutsy I do that all the damn time. I remember not hearing much of anything else, but I do remember hearing a loud bang, and a scream. I know I called 911 and was chased out of the house by this psycho. I don't I've ever ran as fast as I did that night. I remember I couldn't stop crying for hours at the police station. I was barely coherent.

I later found out that he had killed everyone in the house, saving me for last. I remember, thinking that everyone I was close to I would never see again. I wouldn't be able to hold them, to touch them, to tell them that I loved them one last time. I remember feeling numb, once the tears dried. Billy, Jake's dad, picked me up from the station and let me sleep in Jake's bed. I cried myself to sleep every night for 6 straight months before the therapy classes I was forced to take actually started helping.

When the police raided his house, they had found pictures and pictures of me, everywhere. The ones of Jake were mangled and pictures of my family were torn and cut up. Some of the pictures went back to my sophomore year when I had just moved here.

After the trial he was sentenced to multiple life counts, and put into prison. I was so happy that he was put away, but that wouldn't bring my family back. Nothing could. He was there for about a year when I got a visit from the police telling me that I wasn't safe, that he had escaped, and that I needed to go into protection.

A year and a half later, I'm still here with my new life, trying to make it work. A college student, I'm supposed to be 23, originally from Connecticut, and I was orphaned when I was little. My new name is Elizabeth Walsh, I'm supposed to be an English major with a minor in psychology.

It's been two years since Isabella Swan disappeared and _he_ still hasn't been found.

**Review?**


	3. Chapter 2

**So I know it's been a while since I've posted anything for this and I'm sorry. I wanted to wait until Jayeliwood's contest was over. I will still be posting the ideas I didn't finish for the contest later. I also will be posting a new story and hopefully Emma and I will have a new chapter up for Hot off the Presses soon! I couldn't believe the responses I recieved for my one shots and both my stories. Thank you everyone so much! Thank you for voting as well. I try to answer all your reviews, I'm sorry if I missed any! I'm apologizing to Space Glitch now becuase I promised her a pharmacists Edward and I want to let her know I'm working on it now! Also thanks to my beta! She's amazing! Bronzehairedgirl620. Go read her stories! Thanks to Emma who keeps me amused constantly with her complete randomness! ANYWAY! Here we go Chapter 2! (Disclaimer in Profile)**

**CHAPTER 2**

When I first moved to this city, Alice Whitlock was the first person I met. She was in a few of my Gen Ed classes, but she took fashion design as a major so we didn't have many other classes together. A few weeks later she had introduced me to her sister, Emma, which is how I ended up with a roommate. Alice and Emma were great; they were like the sisters I never wanted, but got anyway. Emma is very calm, collected, and patient, whereas Alice, is the complete and total opposite. I'm just glad that it was Emma that became my roomie.

When Emma moved in, she _and_ Alice both failed to warn me that they had a Greek God of a brother. They definitely should have, especially since the day he came over to our apartment to help the moving process I stood there dumbfounded as this bronze haired god introduced himself to me with this sexy velvety deep voice. I nearly melted. To help matters even more along with the fact that I couldn't move or speak, just to make myself feel even more embarrassed around him, I was in ratty old shorts and a t-shirt and my hair was a mess piled on top of my head, no make up. Just sweaty disgustingness. Great first impression, Bella.

He'll stop by every now and then we he gets some free time; I'm not sure what he does for a living, but he's usually always traveling. I love when he's talking about something that he's passionate about and he's so wrapped up in it that he doesn't notice his wild hand movements or how intense his eyes can get when he's speaking, or when his hair falls in his face and he unconsciously runs his fingers through it making it an even more of an unruly bronze mess.

And when you speak, he listens. I mean, _really_ listens. He'll focus those gorgeous green eyes on you and hang on every word, nodding and commenting when he supposed to. They are the strangest color green, too. It's the brightest color of green in the middle like an emerald color or even like a grass color, but they're rimmed in dark blue and they have little specks of gold in them.

If you haven't noticed I have a slight crush on the poor man. I swear, I must look like a cat in heat when he's around, which makes me feel even more embarrassed. I see Edward and it makes me realize how lonely I am...and then I start thinking about Jake. About how much I miss him and my family.

I sighed loudly in frustration.

My increased insomnia was due to the fact that everyday Edward had been coming over to fix our cars. Not only that, but he took it upon himself to wake me up every morning. It was something I could definitely get used to, waking up to his gorgeous face smiling at me every morning. It was also something that terrified me to no end.

I couldn't stop the smile that spread over my face as I thought about the first day Edward started coming over to fix our cars.

_FLASHBACK_

_"Elizabeth?" I felt someone run their fingers through my hair and then gently shake my shoulder. I just moaned and rolled over to tell them to go away. _

_I heard a deep, musical laugh. "Are you always this friendly in the morning?"_

_My eyes shot open and sought out of the owner of the voice. It didn't take me long to find him, the source of my restlessness the night before. There he was, in all his green-eyed, bronze-haired glory sitting on the edge of the couch next to me. _

_"Good morning, sleeping beauty. Emma wanted me to wake you, she made us breakfast." He smiled down at me, his face covered in grease and oil smudges and his hair even more of a mess than usual. I bit my lip to stop from moaning aloud. _

_"Thanks, I'll be up in a sec." He nodded and got up, heading towards the kitchen. I let my eyes travel over his body as he walked away and I felt my breath catch in my throat and fought back a groan at the same time. He was wearing a pair of grease-covered, loose fitting jeans and a tight black wife-beater that showed off his perfectly toned muscles and stood out against his usually flawless pale skin, which also had smudges all over it._

_I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply, trying to control my hormones. I tossed the blanket off me and stretched reaching my arms back over my head towards the arm of the couch. I felt my back pop in a few places as it arched off the cushions and I let out a deep moan. I relaxed my body taking another few deep breaths dragging out the getting up process as long as I could._

_"That has to be one of the sexiest things I've ever seen." My eyes popped open when I heard Edward's voice. He was leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets watching me. I bit my lip when I felt the heat rush to my face as I blushed at the intensity of his gaze._

_"Umm, thanks?" I could barely form a coherent thought, let along a sentence when he was looking at me like that._

_I watched as his mouth slowly formed into a perfect crooked smile his eyes dancing with mischief. "I think I should be the one thanking you, Elizabeth." I gulped as he made his way towards me slowly. _

_Out of nowhere Emma jumped out with a pillow and hit Edward in the back of the head with it, making fake martial art noises. I couldn't help it; I busted out laughing at the shocked look on his face. She was more like Alice than anyone gave her credit for sometimes._

_I watched as they played mini pranks on each other all day, occasionally involving me. At one point, Edward had both Emma and myself pinned to the ground tickling us until we cried uncle. I'd never seen Edward so care-free, he was so usually reserved and closed off when I saw him, which was next to none. _

_I was watching a movie that night on the couch when he was finally cleaned up, much to my dismay. I liked the dirty, sweaty Edward. It was a nice change to the prim and proper I'd seen around from time to time. _

_He sat down next to me, resting his head on the back of the couch with his eyes closed. I could tell that the day's events of chasing us around the house and fixing the cars had worn him out. _

_"You look exhausted." He turned his head towards me and smiled nodding slightly._

_"Mmm, a little bit. I had fun today though. More fun than I have had in a long time." He opened his eyes as he spoke, I could see they were slightly glazed over._

_I smiled at him, "Me too. We should do this more often. " He held my gaze and reached out brushing my hair away from my face. I closed my eyes as I felt his fingers slide down my cheek. I couldn't help but remember what he said this morning, which made butterflies fill my stomach. _

_"I have to get going, but I need to finish the cars and I have the rest of the week off. So you'll be seeing me quite often this week. I'll wake you up again tomorrow?" I glared at him playfully and chucked a pillow at his head. He laughed._

_"I'll see you in the morning, Elizabeth." He said, heading out toward the door after he said a quick goodbye to his sister._

_"Goodnight, Edward."_

_I smiled and turned back to the TV after we said our goodbyes. _

_I went to sleep fairly early that night with the promise of waking up to Edward in the morning. He did not disappoint._

_END FLASHBACK_

I couldn't help but smile at the past few days spending time with Edward when I wasn't home or at work. Even though we'd spoken and had quite a few conversations, he was still a complete mystery to me. He never revealed more than he needed to, but it was so easy talking to him. He'd been sending mixed signals the past few days. I wasn't sure if he was actually this flirty with everyone or if he was actually interested in me. Even if he was, am I ready for that?

I was torn between wanting to act on the attraction I felt for him and hiding my feelings. I still wasn't over Jake; I loved him with all my heart. But I didn't want to be lonely my whole life and I think Jake would understand and be happy for me if I decided to start dating again.

_Dating._ The thought made me cringe. I haven't been on a date in years. Was I ready for that? Would I be ready to date Edward if he really wanted me? I certainly needed to get my feet wet again before I even _thought_ about dating Edward.

What about my past? I couldn't share my secret until I was one hundred percent sure I could trust them. Just one more thing to add to the list.

I turn over and peek at my clock. 1:30, not too late. Maybe Emma's still up.

I got up and headed out into the living room to find Emma watching Celtic Thunder on paid programming. I smiled and laughed to myself. She'll never admit to anyone, even thought we all know, that she has a huge crush on the singer Keith Harkin.

I walked over and plopped down next to her resting my head on her shoulder.

"Can't sleep?" I nodded as she offered me some of the blankets resting on her lap. I slid underneath graciously and sighed in contentment letting my eyes slide closed as she ran her fingers through my hair soothingly.

"What's keeping you up?" She prodded gently. I shrugged in response, not wanting to admit the fact that I had a slight obsession with her mysterious brother.

"Bella, I know there's something bothering you, please tell me." She nudged my side lightly.

I sighed loudly and ran my hands over my face pushing my fingers into my eyes and rubbing them.

"I was thinking that maybe...I should start dating again." I glanced over at her and rested my hands in my lap.

"Oh. What brought this on?" When she turned away from Keith on the screen to focus on me, I knew I had her full attention. I blushed and dipped my head down as I shrugged.

She was quiet for a minute, "Would this have anything to do with Edward?" She tilted her head a small smile playing on her lips

"Maybe..." I blushed again.

Her smile slowly grew, " I won't press you for details, or mention it to Alice, but I do want to continue this subject. So when you're ready let me know, ok?"

I smiled and hugged her tightly, "This is why your my favorite, don't tell Alice." We both laughed. Emma never pushed me to tell her anything, which I was very grateful for.

She started running her fingers through my hair again; it reminded me of what my mom used to do when I couldn't sleep and that made me smile. My smile got wider when I thought about seeing Edward in a few short hours.

**Oh this is the niigghhtttt, it's a bbeaautiiffull night! and we call it a Bellaaaa nnootteeee...sorry I was watching Lady and the Tramp earlier. XD So I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I always love reviews, I'm still unsure about this story so please review! Any questions, comments, ANYTHING PLEASE REVIEW! Don't make me beg. too late, I already did, didn't I? hmm. :-P (PS Celtic Thunder is amazing go listen to their music) **


	4. please don't kill me!

**OK! **

**First, hi everyone! **

**Thank you so much for your reviews and everything and I know how much everyone hates authors notes so I'm sorry for this!**

**So, I have been writing, I've written 3 more chapters to this story actually, I just hate where it's going and everthing that it is. So I've decided to put this on haitus and work on something I'm a little bit more passionate about. I will eventually continue it, I just feel it needs a huge revaluation. **

**I will, how ever, be continuing HOTP so no worries there. **

**There are more one-shots just to warm myself back up into this again and then I'll be posting a new series once it's done! I'm completely excited about this new story I'm writing and hopefully it will be up soon! **

**Thank you guys so much for you're support and Bronze and Emma for always listening to me bitch about this story, hahah. **

**I'll be back very soon with a new one-shot for you, so stay tuned! XD**

**Thank you and my apologies!**

**-Katie**


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